eboxes and fit-PC Slim? Power supply

[binbags]

Hi Boris

Does the fit-PC Slim have "auto power ON and restart" after a mains failure?

[skyewright]

Does the fit-PC Slim have "auto power ON and restart" after a mains failure?

From:
http://www.fit-pc.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... tart+power
"fit-PC always boots when power comes on."
Mine arrived yesterday[1], and I can confirm this. :)

Pity to see that the UK price has gone up by 20 UKP (since I bought mine on Wednesday[1]!). Perhaps an exchange rate thing?

[1] Ordered Wednesday. Arrived Friday. For where I live that is superb order fulfilment from the UK distributor.

[admin]

please let me know, how installation works out for you. What storage are you using? SSD?

[skyewright]

please let me know, how installation works out for you. What storage are you using? SSD?

It's the WinXP model with a 'real' 60GB hard disk.

As I think I mentioned earlier, this unit is destined to be a 24/7 WD computer - if it is up to the job. If it isn't up to the job I'll re-task it to Meteohub and have to think about an Asus eeeBox for WD (I know that is up to doing what I want). If it does the WD job I'll then need to think about what updated hardware to use the Meteohub.

I've been running tests this afternoon. So far performance is fine. With WD accessing Meteohub direct via the logging protocol CPU usage was pretty low (up to around 10-20% every few seconds as WD 'calls' Meteohub) except for "on the minute" which naturally uses more.

Unfortunately there seems to be a slight problem with WD and temp only sensors using the protocol (which I must ask Brian about). I have a work around for that by running a 'proxy' meteolog.cgi of my own (i.e. WD calls my meteolog.cgi on the localhost, my meteolog.cgi calls the real one, tweaks the response (i.e. changes T sensors into TH using regexp), then passes the modified response to WD).

With an Apache server running too and handling those proxy calls form WD every few seconds CPU usage is quite a bit more (up to 70% every few seconds), but the Fit-PC is coping nonetheless.

I have turned off Wi-Fi (I don't use it. Turning it off saves a little power, and reduces heat).

A plug-in power meter says the Fit-PC is using 6-7W. :)

I have the Fit-PC arranged on its 'edge' for optimum cooling. The case is warm but nothing at all alarming, just a pleasant "hand warming" temperature - if it were coffee I'd think it was cold!

I'm impressed.

[skyewright]

The case is warm but nothing at all alarming, just a pleasant "hand warming" temperature

It's been running > 24 hours now. During a reboot I checked the BIOS and that reported:

Code: Select all

CPU temp / Board temp: 46oC / 39oC

but with 'proper' degree symbols. ;)

[admin]

you might install VMware Player 2.5 and run Meteohub as virtual machine on it... but I am not sure if fit-PC will be able to handle all that ;-)

It would be interesting to know if that works at all.

[skyewright]

you might install VMware Player 2.5 and run Meteohub as virtual machine on it... but I am not sure if fit-PC will be able to handle all that ;-)

The very same thought had crossed my mind when I saw how well the Fit-PC handled WD, especially in the scenario where WD is accessing Meteohub direct without the cgi workaround for Temp Only.

It would be interesting to know if that works at all.

I'll let you know how it goes if I try it out.

PS. Ambient temp in the room where the Fit-PC sits was probably about 18oC when those 46 & 39 figures were taken.

PPS. I am already a VMware fan. I have VMware Workstation on my main Windows box. I find virtual machines especially handy for software testing. The current "WD PC" is actually a virtual machine on that box!

[skyewright]

It would be interesting to know if that works at all.

Not apparently on a Fit-PC Slim running Xp.

I got VMware Player installed, unpacked the rar and plugged my WMR200 direct into the Fit-PC. When I tried to open Virtual Meteohub we got as far as the USB selection screen. While I was deciding on an option the UniversalBridge (i.e. the WMR200) option was lost (VMware thought it had been disconnected), then VMware Player just bombed out totally (but silently). Next time I tried being quicker on selection ofthe USB device. That got me a little further, but same end result. I think it was just "too much" for the hardware.
I've now uninstalled VMware Player from the Fit-PC.

I also tried opening the Virtual Meteohub using VMware Workstation 6 on my main WinXp box. VMware Workstation seems not to like it saying something like that debian4 was an "unsupported guest". Trying to go into the VM Properties to accept this resulted in VMware Workstation disappearing from the screen[1] - briefly flashing up a message that I think said something about lack of guest OS data.

But then, VMware Workstation wasn't something that you planned on using it, I guess...

On a more positive note (for me at least), by adding mod_perl to the Apache on the Fit-PC it is now able to run WD accessing Meteohub via my CGI workaround for "Temp Only" with very little effort (CPU usage blips to ~5% every 5 seconds, with brief peaks to ~95% on the minute).

[1] Complete with 2 running VMs - but when I re-ran VMware Workstation they were actually still there and running. Phew!

[admin]

I have VMware Server 2.0 running on Suse Linux on my core2duo file server and it works like a charm there. I also installed VMware Player 2.5 on my core2duo windows XP desktop PC and again no problems.

I guess VMware needs some serious processor and RAM underneath.

I have not tried on VMware workstation 6 sounds like a slightly older version to me. The debian etch-and-a-half Meteohub x86 is build on is pretty new (kernel 2.6.24). As far as I know you don't get VMware workstation for free (VMware server and player are for free), therefore I did not try a port.

Installing additional packaged via apt-get might be an option to get it connected with WD linux version. But I have not tried that.

[skyewright]

I also installed VMware Player 2.5 on my core2duo windows XP desktop PC

The Fit-PC is, of course, a long way from that. Looking at the WMware player requirements I would have been surprised if the experiment worked - but it was worth a try. :)

I have not tried on VMware workstation 6 sounds like a slightly older version to me.

'Last years model' - 6.5 came out a little while ago.

'Workstation' is not free, but not expensive either, well worth it for me. With a bit of tweaking, and maybe an update, I think it ought to be able to run your VM - though from my point that box would not be a convenient location for Meteohub anyway so I'll probably not be putting a lot of effort into further attempts - but if I do, I'll let you know how it goes.

[skyewright]

'Last years model' - 6.5 came out a little while ago.

In the interests of experimentation I downloaded (555MB!) and installed v6.5.

The Meteohub VM now boots - but not quite 'as advertised'. It does not appear to get an IP on the local network, so I haven't been able to see if it is really talking to the WMR200 that I attached to it via USB.
On your screen shot there was a line of IPs above the meteohub logon. There was no such line on mine (but other stuff looked similar).
Attached in an image showing the response to /sbin/ifconfig

Does that give any clues?

Edit: Well I would have attached an image, but at 14KB it apparently exceeds the limit, so I've put it into a 13KB zip and just attached as a file...
[file name=Meteohub_VM_on_VMware_Workstation_6.zip size=13131]http://www.meteohub.de/joomla/images/fb ... tion_6.zip[/file]

[admin]

I just checked with VMware Workstation 6.5.1 and it works. When you don't have LAN access please connect by clicking on the Ethernet-Icon on the lower right border of vmware window and select "connect". Make a reboot after that. Same with USB-connected weather station (no reboot required).

If you want to get details about the LAN connection, you can login "root", password "meteohub" and check via "ifconfig" (as skyewright did). That reports all network adapters. Ethernet is eth0, WLAN is wlan0. "lo" is loop-back device, which doesn't provide any useful information for us.

[skyewright]

When you don't have LAN access please connect by clicking on the Ethernet-Icon on the lower right border of vmware window and select "connect". Make a reboot after that.

Dooh! Of course!
Manual connect on start up of a VM is occasionally required - but it's so long since I had to do that I'd completely forgotten about it!

Thanks for the reminder. With the network connected(!) the VM boots up just fine for me too - and the VM Meteohub can be accessed by browser from another computer on the network.

While I have a real 'hardware' Meteohub I'm unlikley to use it again, but it's nice to be able to confirm that it works - and if I had a hardware disaster with the NSLU2 the VM could presumably be set up as a temporary substitute quite quickly. :)

[longtian006]

I have a few general questions.
I have Oregon WMR928 and am thinking about getting the DMP ebox 4300.

What is the advantages/disadvantages of 4300 over the others?

Also there is a 1gig version is it worth the extra?

Is it worth getting a larger flash card say 8gb?

Do I need the RS232 interface?